Rakell on Ducks: 'I couldn't be happier'

Rickard Rakell's homeland might be an ocean and several time zones away but he's seen enough of the Ducks to be thrilled about being selected by them as the final pick of the first round in the NHL draft Friday night.

"I couldn't be happier," said Rakell, a native of Sweden who was raised in Stockholm. "I watched the Ducks a lot during the season especially because of players like Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf. Ryan Getzlaf was one of my favorite players growing up.

"I'm just so overwhelmed. It feels so good."

Rakell was the youngest player on a Swedish junior national team, which also featured top-five picks Gabriel Landeskog and Adam Larsson, that finished fourth in the world championship last winter.

But instead of pursuing the Swedish Elite League, Rakell came overseas to ply his trade in the Ontario Hockey League with the Plymouth Whalers. While he learned the North American-style of game on smaller rinks, Rakell led Plymouth rookies with 19 goals and 43 points in his first OHL season.

"I think it took a little while to adjust but I really like to play," Rakell said. "And it's been very good. I've been learning a lot. Overall, it's been great for me to come here. I'm happy."

Rakell, who turned 18 on May 5, saw his season cut short because of an ankle sprain as he played in only 49 games with the Whalers. Ducks GM Bob Murray said the winger tried to come back too soon from the initial injury but now has a clean bill of health.

"I'm fully recovered right now but I couldn't make it in the playoffs," Rakell said. "The playoffs are so big here. It was very unfortunate I couldn't finish the season."

With three players they had on one tier of their draft board taken ahead of them, the Ducks moved down eight spots from the No. 22 pick they had and picked up an extra second-round selection that they used on goalie John Gibson.

Ducks amateur director of scouting Martin Madden said there is always a risk in trading down but that Rakell was among the players they liked on another tier they scouted.

"Obviously when you trade down, that's what you expect," he said. "You must hope that one of the guys that you targeted is still there and we were happy with the one that was still there."

Rakell figures to need a few years before he is NHL-ready but he sounded like most draftees who dream of playing in the league right away.

"Of course, I want to be there as soon as possible," he said. "That's my goal. "For sure, it's a hard thing to do. But that's the thing I have to strive for all the time."

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